Jaey Sim AKA Rabbitfolder: The Singapore Illustrator Creating The Cuddliest Critters
Singapore illustrator Jaey Sim – aka rabbitfolder – creates playful, dreamlike worlds inhabited by silly, curious creatures. Drawing inspiration from her child memories, nostalgic shows such as Teletubbies and The Powerpuff Girls, and a collection of quirky vintage toys, this emerging talent’s work captures a carefree, fuzzy feeling of wonder and warmth.
For our June 2025 issue, we’re diving deep into the world of cute – not just as a look, but as a language, a feeling, a quiet kind of power. One emerging illustrator who embodies that ethos in full is Jaey Sim, popularly known as rabbitfolder online. Having cut her teeth at local creative agency Kinetic Singapore, the 25‑year‑old decided earlier this year to follow the fuzzy, feel‑good trail of her lifelong passion: drawing. Today, her dreamy universe of wide‑eyed creatures, blobby shapes and nostalgic textures spills across prints, zines, clay sculptures, calendars and even the occasional sticker sheet – each piece a portal to a softer, sillier world. We caught up with the Singapore‑based creative for her first‑ever interview to learn more about her leap into full‑time illustration, her favourite cute worlds and why she believes silliness can be serious too.
HI, JAEY! TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW YOU FIRST GOT INTO ILLUSTRATION?
“Hi! I’m Jaey and I go by rabbitfolder as my artist name. I come from a graphic design background and worked as a full‑time graphic designer at Kinetic Singapore till earlier this year, when I decided to transition into illustration. I’ve always enjoyed drawing, but it wasn’t until design school that I leaned more into it when I learnt printmaking, and about the creation of publications, zines, packaging and so on. I was able to use these skills with my illustrations to make my own goods. These days, my art appears on various mediums such as prints, stickers, zines, clay sculptures and more!”
One of Sim's whimsical critters that she calls Gummy Pill Bears and a tiny angel come to life through clay, a newer medium the 25‑year‑old recently started exploring.
WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND YOUR ARTIST NAME RABBITFOLDER?
“The name came about because I needed a username online – ha ha! It doesn’t have a special or deep meaning. The word ‘rabbit’ comes from my Chinese zodiac sign as well as how I often draw a rabbit character. And the word ‘folder’ comes from my love of collecting things, be it physical objects such as trinkets, figures, books and stationery, or digital images and media – little messy folders of inspiration.”
TELL US ABOUT THE RABBITFOLDER WORLD.
“My work explores dreamlike worlds and the quirky little creatures that live in them. A lot of it is inspired by a mix of childhood memories, places I’ve been to, objects I’ve loved and the media that’s stuck with me. The creatures I draw are usually silly and curious. They live carefreely and are simply existing. I think that’s the kind of feeling and story that I’d like to put out to the world.”
Say Aaaaah, a multi‑format work that’s a trippy, toothy explosion of colour inspired, she says, by “a dream, sugar highs, and the tiny guardians who live in your molars."
WHAT INFLUENCES THE RABBITFOLDER UNIVERSE?
“As a kid, I watched a lot of TV shows – the likes of Teletubbies, Winx Club, The Powerpuff Girls and Pokemon – after school, and I’d draw them in my sketchbook. I was really drawn to the characters and worlds of these shows – especially Teletubbies, which, looking back, was such a strange show. I was really fascinated by the Teletubbies’ house under the hills, with all its strange gizmos and colours, and I was also weirdly obsessed with Noo‑Noo, the vacuum cleaner character in the show. The childlike, surreal, whimsical nature of these shows have definitely shaped my current work, and I still look to them for inspiration. My parents are also collectors of retro and vintage toys such as Astro Boy figures, Happy Meal toys and kitschy stuffed animals, so I grew up surrounded by all these quirky objects.”
THERE’S A LOT OF SOFTNESS, FUN AND CHARM FOUND IN YOUR WORK. WHAT DOES THE TERM “CUTE” MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY?
“‘Cute’ to me is a feeling you get when something feels oddly endearing, warm and personal. I think it’s not intentional but found in quiet moments – like when a cat figure randomly starts making biscuits with complete earnesty … It’s kind of silly and illogical, but somehow, it makes you go, ‘That’s so cute!’ I try to draw from these little instances in my work.”
ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR THEMES OR MESSAGES THAT YOU AIM TO CONVEY THROUGH YOUR ILLUSTRATIONS?
“My thoughts, feelings and interests are always shifting, so rather than setting out to convey a specific message, I think the recurring theme in my work is about evoking a sense of wonder and curiosity as opposed to a fixed idea. I like when a message is playful and open to interpretation.”
From dreamy doodles to surreal candylands, rabbitfolder’s universe invites us to reconnect with that childlike joy and embrace the little moments. Take example her “Critter Sticker Sheet”, featuring cartoon‑like creatures she dreamt up going through everyday life,
WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENTS TO DATE IN YOUR PRACTICE AS AN ILLUSTRATOR?
“One would be when I set up my online store this year (rabbitfolder.bigcartel.com) and launched my products for sale! This being my first experience doing so as an independent illustrator, there was a lot to figure out – from logistics and postage to accounting and so on. I’m glad I went through the process because I learnt so much from it, and it has made things so much smoother now. Another would be getting my works stocked at the multi‑label store Catalog in Golden Landmark Shopping Centre recently. I’m really grateful to be able to share my work alongside other great artists in such a cute store.”
WHAT ELSE ARE YOU WORKING ON THIS YEAR?
“I’m working on a new zine right now – a fictitious guide to a space I’ve come to call Jellyshrub Island and that is only accessible when one dreams. All the characters I’ve drawn so far reside on this island, and the guide will explore this whimsical universe that they live in and where they work, eat and play. I’ll be updating this project on my Instagram (@rabbitfolder) as I go along, so stay tuned!”
THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR BREVITY AND CLARITY
This article first appeared in the June 2025 Cuteness Overload Edition of FEMALE